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News: Fuji F200EXR 12MP Super CCD: Will this humble the Canon G10? Large file!

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Remember the low noise images even at ISO 800 of that 6MP camera of way back in September 2006, the Fujif31D. Well, IMHO, Canon has still to meet that quality in a digicam. The G10, for example, while bosting a 15MP sensor hardly gives a low noise image even at ISO 200. What did the Fuji FS31D miss out on that they stopped making it? I guess 6MP was not enough for folk with MP envy!

I never owned one of these beautiful fuji cameras and I was just thinking of looking for a used one on ebay. Well now I will no longer wish for it! The wonder I had for that little gem is now directed to the almost jaw-dropping imaging at ISO 800 of the new Fuji F200EXR Super CCD camera.

pic_section-image_01.jpg


So here's the new Fuji with a modest, by today's standards, 12MP image size, (really the sensor is 14MP but it allows for different formats so all the sensels are not used all the time!

Like the Ricoh and the Sony Swing camera, this can do tricks we'd do with post processing software after the fact. Now it's built in. It can stack images and give very low noise and high ISO pictures. Of course it has the usual movie mode, face detection and anti-shake functions. There are three modes:

pic_01.jpg


Fine Capture mode for the highest resolution
Pixel Fusion (or binning), where adjacent pixels are used as one to make a larger more sensitive pixel, for high sensitivity and low noise for up to ISO 12800
Dual Capture mode for High Dynamic Range up to 800% of the normal range.

EXR AUTO SETTING: The selection of mode can be automatic if you wish! So if the scene is bright then the Detailed mode will be chosen. Should the subject be high contrast then the F200EXR switches to Wide Dynamic Range while of the scene is dark, the camera moves to high sensitivity and low noise.

A remarkable feature is that merely close focusing switches to Macro mode and then one of the 3 special modes according to the lighting and dynamic range!

Let's look at fujifilm's sample pictures taken at 800 ISO

But one feature, pretty low noise and beautiful images suggests to me that the best of the F31D has been superceded and will mark a new quality level.


ff_finepixf200exr_009.jpg


HIGH ISO & LOW NOISE, ISO 800, DR 100%, f/4.4, 1/40, 18.0mm, Auto WB, JPEG

I think the new camera really has gone beyond what we have been used to in true pocket cameras. I'd love to have the uncompressed images out of the camera., but here's the jpg provided by Fujifilm at 1600 ISO:

ff_finepixf200exr_008.jpg


HIGH ISO & LOW NOISE, ISO 1600, DR 100%, f/3.9, 1/20, 11.0mm, Auto WB, JPEG

I hope the camera is as good as these early Fujifilm sample pics suggest, it may be worth considering at $399.95 for the first eager customers! It does not have RAW but one can shoot in manual mode and focus in manual mode too. Yes, the G10 has RAW and 15 MP v. 12 MP. At ISO 85 perhaps the G10 will hold it's own. That, I'd love to see! Frankly, having RAW with the G10 when the light is poor is not going to make up for the lousy noise, even with Noise Ninja.

Now what do you think is the most exciting small camera right now? Is this it or you have already a nice little Panasonic in your pocket?

Asher

More Fuji sample images! I'll rework this post to have smaller images and faster loading!
 
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Asher, I had to use my two displays to see that...

In terms of small take-everyway cameras I am mostly waiting for the MICRO 4/3 system. It would be ideal to see Fujifilm getting in the game with a super CCD in 4/3 size.

For me the minimum requirement would be to have a 48Megas file that could pass Quality Control with my Stock Agency. I think that the first image may probably pass. Don't know about the second example...

The ideal small camera would be a 2/3 size of M Leica with interchangeable lenses and large super clean 12MP sensor...

This is interesting ...
lumixgvario7-14mm.jpg


a 7-14mm f.:1:4 lens equivalent to 14-28 for the DMC-GH1, and it can silently focus and adjust diaphragm while shooting HD...
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Yes, Leonardo,

i noticed that too. could you scrounge up some files and comment on them. I need such a camera for taking pictures of an orchestra so I can then rebuild the image to a pano with all the figures images perfectly. We need stealth and no disturbing the music!

I'd like to see if this camera is worht getting just for that?

Asher
 
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